How to Pack Light While Traveling
Whether you're planning a weekend trip or a long-term vacation, learning how to pack lightly can help make your travels more enjoyable. Not having to lug around a 20-kilo piece of luggage can improve anyone’s mood. Learn how to pack light for a trip and what you need to shave pounds/kilos off your luggage.
Tips on how to pack light
Before we get into what you should pack into your bag, we need to talk about the bag itself. Having a light backpack will set yourself up for success before you even get started. A good travel backpack can weigh half as much as a run-of-the-mill travel bag. You don’t need to go out and buy that ultralight backpack now, just keep this in mind when shopping for your next piece of luggage if packing light is something you want to take seriously.
Packing The Necessities
If you're going away for an extended period of time, start with your essentials. These might include toiletries, clothing, and other personal items. Think about the things you absolutely need, not the things you really want to take with you.
Toothbrush
Do you actually need this? This might seem like a stupid question, but call where you are staying and ask if they provide toothbrush and toothpaste. This is a small weight savings, but those wanting to minimize down to a single backpack might go this route.
Toiletries
You won’t be able to travel with many liquids if you are only bringing a carry-on. Consider buying deodorant, sunblock, and anything else you need when you arrive. Otherwise just buy the smallest travel-size products you can get away with.
Clothes
How many outfits do you need? This is the first big hurdle for most travelers. One outfit for every two days + a swimsuit and the clothes you wear during your drive/flight. That should be MORE than enough - packing light means being comfortable wearing the same clothes twice. Fresh underwear can be the key to feeling fresh when wearing the same outfit 2 or 3 times, so we like to bring enough for one every day plus an extra.
Forget socks and clunky shoes if you are going somewhere that you can wear sandals. If you do need hiking shoes, then wear them while you travel to keep the bulk of your bag down. A trick to stay comfortable during your trip is to switch your shoes to fresh socks while sitting down. Be courteous and keep your shoes on if you think your feet might be sweaty and smelly. Phone
A charger + a small battery bank of roughly 10,000 mAh or enough to spend an entire day of shooting photos and videos away from an outlet. Simple and easy. A light pair of decent wired headphones is also a great addition. The less expensive you can get away with, the less you will worry about keeping them safe. Medicine
Know what you need and plan ahead. Take your prescriptions and plan out a small medical kit - a couple of bandages, a sealed packet of ointment, a few painkillers. All of this should ideally fit in a sandwich-sized bag. Why bring a med-kit and not a toothbrush? You don’t need a toothbrush until you get to where you are going. You might need medical attention during your trip.
Gizmos and Gadgets (A.K.A. Dead Weight)
This is where some people kind of go crazy. It is far too easy to add what amounts to a random pile of junk to your luggage. Extra stands, extra cables, too many camera cleaners, dedicated pouches…. take a step back and think about exactly what you will actually use. The idea of using something is exciting, but chances are you probably won’t miss it.
Electronics
Some of you may need to bring your laptops for work. Others are travel professionals that need a camera setup and a drone. No matter what camp you are in, you will need to adjust your setup over time to dial in a kit you are willing to bring anywhere you go. There are no cheap hacks here. Light-weight gear often costs a premium. Just be sure to keep your needs in mind when shopping for your next piece of kit. Laptop
Can you use your tablet instead? If you can, take it a step further - can you use your phone instead of your tablet? You can save some serious weight if you are only bringing a laptop or tablet to watch Netflix and check social media.
Camera
Can you just use your phone? Let’s face it, smartphone cameras are more than good enough for most travelers. If you do need interchangeable lenses there are no two ways about it - this will take up a decent amount of space. There are a few amazing point-and-shoot-style cameras out there that make for fantastic travel setups, so if you enjoy traveling light, consider these as an option if you are in the market. The Sony ZV-1 is a good place to start your research.
The Best Way to Pack Clothes - When Folding Just Won't Cut It
The Roll
Fold your clothes in half lengthwise, then roll it up tightly like a yoga mat or tasty wrap. Take your tight rolls of shirts/pants/whatever and place them together as tightly as possible. You will end up with a stack of tightly-rolled clothes inside your luggage and not much wasted space. The downside to this method is that it is harder to use your clothes as padding to protect more delicate travel gear. Wrinkles can also be a slight issue, but if you fold and roll carefully, wrinkles should be minimal. The Stuff
This is the best way to pack as much clothing as possible inside a bag. Take a shirt, then shove it bit by bit into the bottom of the bag, being sure to pack it down as far as it will go. Hold that down then take the next shirt and stuff it down, bit by bit, into the next bit of empty space. Repeat this with each piece of clothing you have and you will have literally filled up your entire bag. No empty wasted space. The key is to not shove the entire thing down at one time - grab the end of a sleeve and pack the shirt down bit-by-bit from there. This method has one big downside - the wrinkles will be extreme. You will need to iron or press them when you get to where you are staying. This won’t work with luggage unless you stuff your clothes into a bag then place that bag into the luggage.
Summary
Keep a core set of the things you absolutely need - clothes, travel documents, medicine, phone, etc. - and build from there. Every time you add something to this pile of stuff, literally ask yourself “Will my trip be worse if I don’t take this?” If the answer is no then put it aside and continue packing. When you are done packing, if you still have room and weight left, take that item and ask that same question again. You can then make the call to leave it or take it.
This list of items might seem very minimal, but you would be surprised what you can get away with once you change your mindset to need rather than want. You can still have amazing travel experiences while bringing less with you. It may even help you pull yourself away from the distraction of screens and live more in the moment.
Being prepared is also important for understanding what you can leave behind. Want to get an idea of what to expect when traveling overseas? Check out our Thailand Travel Guides to read about the different activities you might need to plan for while traveling.